touchstones 9-12

"Knowing what to do... is really only part of the equation.  The other half is knowing when and why to do it."

" ...the importance of teachers reflecting on their own practices...asking themselves why they are doing what they're doing in the classroom..."

"...being able to provide research based rationale for every instructional strategy (chosen)."

​-Goodwin & Hubbell (2013)
Touchstone Summaries and Evidence-Based Explanations Taken Directly from the Appendix in The 12 Touchstones of Good Teaching: What They Look Like and Why They're Important, Goodwin & Hubbell (2013)

9
i make the most of every minute.

"Teachers plan lessons to ensure bell-to-bell learning for students.  They also establish routines to ensure efficient transitions and classroom logistics.  They work with colleagues to minimize interruptions to instructional time due to announcements, assemblies, and other distractions."
​Resources for Making Efficient Use of Time:
Classroom/School Time Analysis Tools
Planning Effective Classroom Strategies
Excellent Example of Classroom Management

10
I help students develop deep knowledge.

"Teachers introduce new knowledge by helping students connect it to prior knowledge.  They help students make meaningful patterns, assembling disparate bits of information into coherent patterns.  They consider what students will think about with each assignment and aim to focus thinking on deep knowledge."
​Resources for Making Connections and Patterns:
​Research Based Instructional Strategies
Inquiry Based Learning
Flipping the Classroom with Katie Gimbar
Online Learning Resources

11
i coach students to mastery.

"Teachers use frequent checks for understanding to know which concepts or skills students are struggling to master and reteach as needed to help students develop mastery.  They also provide students with opportunities for deliberate practice, focusing on developing the skills and knowledge they are struggling to master."
​Links to Assessment and Coaching Information:
​Explanation of Formative Assessment
More Examples of Formative Assessment
Co-Teaching Methods for More Engagement

12
i help students do something with their learning.

"Teachers use structured classroom discussions and writing assignments to help students extend their learning.  They use project-based learning and complex or heuristic problem-solving assignments to help students integrate and apply new knowledge in novel situations.  Such assignments do not replace but, rather, build on content knowledge."
​Resources for Extending and Applying Learning:
​Project Based Learning
Simulations and Games
Interactive Labs

WHY IT'S IMPORTANT

9.   "A few wasted minutes per class period can add up to weeks of lost learning time.  Time on instruction has a greater effect on student achievement than socioeconomic status.  Even more important is academic learning time - the actual time students are on task and learning."
10.    "The goal of learning is deep knowledge - the ability to connect ideas, see patterns, and apply learning in novel situations - which, in turn, is key to memory.  Effective teaching strategies do not always work; they must be applied with intentionality according to the knowledge teachers are helping students develop."
11.     "Research shows one key to elite performance is having a coach pressing performers to concentrate their practice on areas where they're needed most.  Research has also found a much stronger effect for practice than homework, which suggests that homework assignments should be constructed as opportunities for deliberate practice."
12.    "When students do not have opportunities to extend and apply what they have learned, their new knowledge tends to fade from memory.  The ability to solve complex problems or heuristic tasks is prized in the work world and by students, who are more engaged when given opportunities to learn through real-world application."
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